Posts Tagged ‘Making Waves’

It’s a beautiful thing when children play together nicely in the playground. Same can be said for photographic gear manufactured by different companies that are ‘guaranteed’ to work flawlessly together when you’re out on assignment. If you shoot for a living you’re well aware how persnickety mixed dancing between photo gear of mixed lineage can be, even when the company’s website and sales rep says otherwise.

The Technology Alliance, a photo industry consortium consisting of Bowens, PocketWizard, and Sekonic, is out to put an end to all this nonsense. In it’s first official act it has announced that as of May 2014, select Bowens monolights, Sekonic flash meters, and PocketWizard remote triggering devices will, moving forth, speak the same language and perform as advertised on the job. They will play together nicely in the playground too. This launch is focused on the USA and applies to radio units and modules that are FCC-licensed in the USA.

By incorporating PocketWizard Bowens GEM Receiver modules which insert into Bowen’s Gemini-series 500R, 500Pro, 750Pro, 1000Pro and 1500Pro-series of monolights (As of May 2014), Bowens has joined the ranks of other lighting manufacturers (Profoto, Dynalite, Photogenic, & Norman) who have also chosen PocketWizard as their wireless triggering system of choice.

The PocketWizard Bowens GEM Receiver modules used in Bowens Gemini monolights is thoroughly compatible with all existing PocketWizard transmitters. When used with a PocketWizard Plus III or MultiMAX all 32 channels and QuadZones can be accessed. When using PocketWizard PlusX, remote triggering is limited to channels 1 through 10. PocketWizard MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 units can also trigger and select zones when used with Bowens new PocketWizard-equipped Gemini monolights.

In addition to the latest versions of Bowens 500R, 500Pro, 750Pro, 1000Pro, and 1500Pro monolights, all existing PocketWizard remote triggering devices will work fluently within the system as will Sekonic’s L-478DR and L-758DR flash meters. Earlier Sekonic meters can also be used by syncing to any PocketWizard transmitter or transceiver, which are available separately.

To mark the occasion and lend a smatter of branding into the mix, a special edition PocketWizard Plus III Transceiver in “Bowens’ accent yellow” is now available, and they are the same price as the existing black Plus III Transceivers.

To celebrate the “technology Alliance”, Bowens has launched a promotion where purchasers of Bowens Gemini R or Pro monilights or kits can get one free BowensGEM Module per monolight until June 30, 2014. Details here. PocketWizard-manufactured BowensGEM Radio Modules will be available in the USA at authorized dealers starting on or around May 21, 2014.

Making Waves is a weekly round-up of current posts featuring PocketWizard products.

Chip Kalback is a photographer based out of Denver, Colorado who shoots commercial and editorial photography with a focus on environmental portraits and lifestyle sports. Chip used HyperSync to capture the new standard of performance vehicles, electric cars. Chip brought along his FlexTT5 as a transmitter and had his lights setup with Plus III radios so he could capture the cover photo and all the images for the feature story in Popular Science magazine. Chip’s setup for each shot is described in his own words.

“For the cover shot and opening spread I was using a FlexTT5 (Canon) with a Plus III hooked up to an AlienBees B800. Using HyperSync I was able to stop the cars at 1/2000, f/6.3 and ISO 640. My camera setup was a Canon 5D III and a Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm f/2 ZE.

For the portrait shot of the driver I was using a FlexTT5, with one AlienBees B800 and a gridded beauty dish, and 2 AlienBees B400’s both with tight grids, all three flashes synced with Plus III’s. Those were shot at 1/100, f/8 at ISO 320 with a Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 ZE.

For the shots in the garage I was using an AlienBees B800 and 2 AlienBees B400’s, all with tight grids on them being synced with Plus III’s, in conjunction with the ambient light coming in from both sides of the garage. Those were mostly shot using my Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm f/2 ZE while again using my FlexTT5.”

Making Waves is a weekly round-up of current posts featuring PocketWizard products.

Foto Care has put out a series of informative and easy-to-understand videos which show what PocketWizard technology can do for your photography. Don’t miss these brief, professional, and free resources!

Making Waves is a weekly round-up of current posts featuring PocketWizard products.

Here’s a collision of a great photographer, Disney, a powerful singer, and PocketWizard. Check out the behind-the-scenes video of photographer Annie Leibovitz using a Plus® II on a Disney shoot with Jennifer Hudson.

Making Waves is a weekly round-up of current posts featuring PocketWizard products.

Justin Van Leeuwen of JVL Photography in Ottawa, Ontario has a great blog post up about his third year shooting the Cole family. This year’s shoot took place at their summer cottage. Electronic technology and water typically are not to be mixed, but that didn’t stop Van Leeuwen from doing his best to capture each of eight family members, plus their dog, while balancing a large octa on a floating raft.

Van Leeuwen utilized a MiniTT1, FlexTT5 and HyperSync® speeds to make this deceptively fun shot that definitely presented challenges to execute. He’s a Westcott-endorsed Pro and lens reviewer for canonrumors.com. We hope to explore more of his work in-depth in the future.

Chris Garrison
PocketWizard Blog reader-favorite Chris Garrison is still hot on the Red Bull scene. He put together a great post on a shoot combining the impossible, land and water sport figures together, featuring Terry Adams and Adam Errington. Packed with behind-the-scenes photos, two videos, and the whole story, don’t miss Chris Garrison and his PocketWizard FlexTT5 and PowerST4 pulling off the impossible. As always, get your fix of Chris Garrison at his site and blog.